Some foreign passport holders from Gaza cross into Egypt via Rafah

Gaza, Nov 1 (IANS) Some foreign passport holders from the Gaza Strip crossed into Egypt on Wednesday via the Rafah crossing, the only linking point between the African nation and the Hamas-controlled enclave.

Early Wednesday morning, Egypt had sent 40 ambulances to cross the Rafah checkpoint to transfer injured Palestinians from Gaza, an official security source told Xinhua news agency.

Egypt has allocated three areas in Arish and Sheikh Zuweid cities to host the families of the the injured, the source added.

Eight Egyptian hospitals in North Sinai and Cairo are prepared to treat the wounded, he noted.

Meanwhile, some 70 humanitarian aid trucks have crossed Rafah en route to Gaza.

Also on Wednesday morning, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in a post on X that the crossing was likely to open later in the day "for a first group of foreign nationals".

"The Rafah crossing is likely to open today for a first group of foreign nationals. UK teams are ready to assist British nationals as soon as they are able to leave.

"It’s vital that lifesaving humanitarian aid can enter Gaza as quickly as possible," he said in the post.

On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said approximately 400 Americans and their family members — about 1,000 people total — are stuck in Gaza and seeking to leave amid diplomatic efforts to help them.

According to the US State Department, Blinken spoke with his Qatari counterpart on Monday about pressing Hamas to allow Americans and other foreign nationals to leave.

Since the first convoy of humanitarian aid passd through Rafah on October 21, two weeks after the broke out of the Israel-Hamas conflict, about 250 trucks carrying tonness of supplies have entered the Palestinian territory, according to Egyptian data.

Israel requires the aid convoys to be inspected first at the Israeli Nitzana Border Crossing with Egypt and then drive nearly 100 km to the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing before entering Gaza.

The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict has killed more than 8,525 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis, according to official figures from both sides.

A total of 239 people were taken hostage during the Hamas attacks, according to the Israel Defense Forces.